Conserving the Musquodoboit River
Mike Dembeck
The Musquodoboit River, east of Halifax, provides habitat for Atlantic salmon, wood turtle and snapping turtle, along with river otters. The floodplain and wetland areas provide habitat for songbirds and waterfowl, including common merganser, black duck and wood duck.
NCC announced its first conservation project on the lower Musquodoboit River, near the town of Musquodoboit Harbour, in the fall of 2016. With 25 kilometres of river frontage and 175 acres (70 hectares) of wetlands, the area supports mature forests, extensive wetlands and intact floodplains, which feature an uncommon combination of black cherry and red oak trees.
While much of the Musquodoboit River has been altered by mining, forestry and agriculture, the lower portions of the river, where NCC is working, have been spared and are largely intact. NCC-protected lands here provide connectivity from the river to Nova Scotia’s White Lake Wilderness Area, one of the largest protected landscapes in Nova Scotia, creating an extensive corridor for wildlife.
The well-maintained Musquodoboit Trailway crosses the property, making it an accessible wilderness for hikers, cyclists and nature lovers.
The Musquodoboit River properties were protected with the support of the Government of Canada, under the Natural Area Conservation Program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, the Nova Scotia Crown Share Land Legacy Trust, Halifax Regional Municipality, under the Community Grants Fund, Nova Scotia Habitat Conservation Fund (contributions from hunters and trappers) and many local donors and supporters.